Improvement in letter-sheet and envelope



W. R. ROSS. Letter-Sheet and Envelope.

No. 202,377. Patented April 16,1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Orr'rcr. I

WILLIAM R. ROSS, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

IMPI ROVEMENT IN LETTER-SHEET AND ENVELOPE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 202,377, dated April16, 1878; application filed January 26, 1878.

7 clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame.

The object of this invention is to provide a combined letter-sheet andenvelope for business purposes, with a simple and cheap arrangement foropening it, and which, when received and opened, shall bear upon oneside the written communication, and upon the other the name of theperson addressed, together with the postmark.

1t is the habit of many business men to destroy the envelopes inclosingletters received, and frequently the sender forgets or neglects to givethe date of writing or the name of the place from which he writes-anomission which might materially lessen or effectually destroy the valueof the letter, whether as a memorandum for business purposes or asmatter of evidence in law.

My improvement consists in providing a letter-sheet at one end of whichare two side flaps and an end flap, which, when the sheet is folded, canbe turned down and sealed, forming the whole into a securely-sealedpackage, with peculiarly-arranged perforations and a loop of tape orthicker paper than composes the envelope, by taking hold of which thepackage may be opened without injury to the paper or writing, as will beherewith set forth, and the invention distinctly pointed out in theclaim.

Toenable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains tomake and use the same, I would thus proceed to describe it, referring tothe accompanying drawing, in which the figure represents my improvedletter-sheet and envelope.

I use a sheet of paper at the top of which is a flap, a, and at eachside the flaps b. The rest of the sheet is rectangular in form, andconsists of two or more folds, c d, indicated by dotted lines.

The top of the sheet is printed upon, as an ordinary letter-head, andthe reverse side contains the usual or any other printed card. The topflap a has perforations f in the shape of a diamond at its center, nearthe edge. A loop, B, of tape or strong paper, folded as represented, ismade to adhere to the flap on each side of the perforated portion f, andhaving its top projecting a little beyond the edge of the flap, which isrepresented by dotted lines. The side flaps are perforated at h, asrepresented. The adhesive material is only upon the perforated portionf, and upon that portion of the tape B which, when the flap is turneddown, rests upon the ends of the side flaps. 7

When the envelope is sealed the only points of adhesion are theperforated part f of the flap, the tape, and the side flaps.

To open the letter it is only necessary to take hold of the projectingportion of the tape with the thumb and finger and give a quick pull,when, the perforated parts yielding, the package will be opened. Whenthus opened, a triangular aperture will be formed by the removal of theportion f, which, bounded by the tape, will furnish a ready means forfiling the letter upon a hook or wire.

Having thus fully described my invention. what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows The herein-describedcombined letter-sheet and envelope, consisting of the rectangular foldsc, d, and e, the latter provided with the top flap a, having aperforated portion, f, and a surrounding loop, B, of tape or strongpaper, and also the side flaps b, perforated near their ends, the wholeconstructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Witness my hand this 3d day of June, A.- D. 1876.

WILLIAM R. ROSS.

Witnesses OHAs. M. PEcK, WM. RITCHIE.

